Today at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, 13 October 2009, with the chant of the
Third Hour, the Thirteenth General Congregation began, for the
continuation of the interventions by the Synod Fathers in the Hall
on the Synodal theme The Church in Africa at the Service of
Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. “You are the salt of the earth
... You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13,14).

President Delegate on duty was H. Em. Card. Francis ARINZE, Prefect
Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of
the Sacraments (VATICAN CITY).

This General Congregation ended at 12:30 p.m. with the prayer of the
Angelus Domini, 222 Fathers were present.

The main riches of the continent is represented by its population,
and especially the youth, adolescents and children. Africa is a
continent with the youngest population in the world.
African youth is an inestimable treasure that cannot be forgotten or
lie unused, if one wishes to guarantee a future of lasting
development, reconciliation, justice and peace in Africa.
Many young persons are led into violence, prostitution, drug
trafficking and use, organized crime, political, ethnic and tribal
strife, as well as into religious fundamentalism and satanic sects
among others.
In the light of all these, we would like to suggest:
- A strong message of trust and encouragement from the Synodal
Assembly to youth, adolescents and children as the main players at
the service of reconciliation, justice and peace.
- Denounce as one of the more obvious injustices emargination,
manipulation, exploitation and violation of children’s rights.
- The need for deeper studies on the question of African youth,
using the humanistic sciences to see which are the most pressing
problems and to find effective solutions to them.
- Pastoral strategies of the church and government policies must be
conceived keeping youth in mind, so that not only their material
needs are satisfied, but also their spiritual ones.
- The challenge to the Church, government and African society in
general in finding ways to stimulate and take advantage of the vast
potential which African youth represents.
- I would like to underline the need for education and integral
formation of youth that takes into consideration the context and
their culture so as to make them able to be true servants of
reconciliation, justice and peace.
- Look over the contents and methods of catechesis, as well as the
respective charisms, especially the catechumenate to include the
social doctrine of the Church, a formation of critical
consciousness, love of life, respecting and protecting nature.
- The urgency of a pastoral for care, due to the fact that the
majority of children and adolescents grew up in difficult
environments characterized by destroyed families, hostilities, wars,
violence and abuses of fundamental rights which have left deep
wounds in the souls.

In my mother tongue, a proverb says: “To proclaim charity in words
makes charity obsolete”. But another also says: “The benefactor who
provides for the needy every day makes them lazy”. The challenges of
reconciliation, justice and peace in Africa are immense and their
responses complex and costly, as we have seen from the intervention
by Mr Rodolphe ADADA on the subject of Darfur. The scope and the
complexity of the dramas and tragedies in Africa require
international solidarity. And it is already the case that the
commitment of the Church in Africa in is essential in all domains,
education, health, rural development, communication means, education
to citizenship and the defense of fundamental human rights through
the justice and peace commissions depend heavily upon aid from
Churches in Europe and North America. In Chad, in these last years,
this aid was drastically reduced and the wickedness of dependence
became evident. To correct this evil, the remedy of mobilizing local
resources was prescribed. But where do these local resources come
from? There is of course the contribution from the faithful, but
this contribution is very modest, even insignificant in relation to
the scope of their needs. To ensure the com plement without which no
work can function, one turns to international organizations whose
philosophy and objectives are not always compatible with our
convictions. Thus, the Church in Africa resembles a single mother
who must prostitute herself in order to feed, house, educate and
care for her numerous children.
The Church in Africa must proclaim reconciliation, justice and
peace. But she must do this through works. To realize these works,
she needs means but should not be reduced to seeking out these means
at just any price.

The Church in Rwanda, in her pastoral care of reconciliation,
justice and peace following the unfortunate events of the Tutsi
genocide and other war victims, after the challenges she encountered
and partly overcame, is convinced that the work of reconciliation is
God’s initiative. She is also convinced that God decided to
collaborate with man to achieve this project of reconciliation. This
conviction is due to the experiences and testimonies of
reconciliation that we see every day throughout the country, in the
Base Ecclesial Communities, in prisons, at prayer meetings for
healing, etc.
At the time of the first Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of
Bishops, the Church in Rwanda was absent for reasons you all know.
The bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Rwanda delegated to the
Synod were blocked by the beginning of the wide scale genocidal
massacres on 7/4/1994. In three months more than one million
innocent people were condemned to death, in front of the cameras of
the International Community. The UN “MINUAR” forces who were there
received the order to retreat, abandoning the population to the
mercy of the killers armed with machetes, grenades, rifles and other
weapons...
The day after this carnage, when the situation was controlled by the
new authorities, the Catholic Church began the Pastoral Care of
reconciliation.
There have been remarkable results and testimonies of vows, pardon
and reconciliation. The civil authorities themselves adopted the
“Gacaca” method to organize the popular courts on the hills, which
allowed for accelerating the judgment of many prisoners.The Justice
and Peace Commission in collaboration with other Commissions and
other pastoral sectors, followed the process of reconciliation
through various programs for education on the values and the
formation of agents of reconciliation through the appropriate
techniques.
In this pastoral care of reconciliation, the Catholic Church does
not work in a closed atmosphere, she collaborates closely with other
religious Conferences and with public and private institutions
working on the theme of post-genocide reconciliation, especially the
National Commission for unity and reconciliation, the National
Commission for the fight against genocide and the National
Commission for human rights, to mention just a few.
There are still cases of psychological traumas, physical and mental
handicaps, suffering of all kinds. The wounds of the heart are
healing with difficulty, the bases of families have shattered
creating a difficult situation in managing orphans, widows and those
without families. There are prisoners who are still waiting for
justice to get out of the impasse, and among them there are surely
some innocents.
We must also point out that in this work of reconciliation certain
pastoral agents have still not reached internal freedom, which does
not permit them to fulfill their mission as an actor of
reconciliation. A program of training and for healing should be
developed with the appropriate means.

Women are committed members of our Church. There is no doubt that
their engagement to this point testifies to this fact. I believe
that empowered by theological training, and training in Canon Law
and the Social Doctrine of the Church they can play a better role
beyond the traditional activities they have been engaged in as
active and integral members of the Church.
Such training could deepen their understanding of their motherhood
related values within the wider spectrum of salvation history. This
could better inform and enrich their specific choices in the
planning and implementation of strategic actions for reconciliation,
justice and peace in the families, small Christian communities,
parishes, dioceses and beyond.
Their formation in Theology, Canon Law and the Social Doctrine of
the Church should empower them to play their specific and comparable
role in designing appropriate and relevant catechetical and pastoral
programmes, in collaboration with respective pastors and
theologians, for children, the youth, women and family. It should
enable them to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of
the matrix of relationships and roles within the hierarchy of the
Church for appropriate collaborative ministry in the service of
reconciliation, justice and peace.
Moreover, their training in theological, canonical studies and the
Social Doctrine of the Church should enable them to discover the
sources and tools for designing relevant formation and advocacy
programmes for reconciliation, justice and peace especially at the
level of the family, small Christian communities, Christian women
associations, youth and different associations of Christian
professionals.
The primary role of the trained and theologically empowered women
should become catalysts of change of the overall attitude regarding
our mothers and sisters and build their capacity to play their
God-given active role in participating in the leadership and
decision making processes at all levels of Church and society to
bring about real reconciliation through justice and peace in our
African society. It is important to emphasize the fact that without
the full participation of women in their various levels and capacity
the work of reconciliation, justice and peace can never be complete
and bring the desired fruits in our Church and the future society of
Africa.

Lasting peace passes through education. This is a conviction shared
by the consecrated persons whose charism is education for the youth.
Today this mission must be carried out in a context where the
African lives in an economic, psychological and socio-political
environment that is often difficult, and that nurtures in the young
internal tensions that translate externally into behaviors that are
completely contrary to the spirit of peace and reconciliation.
Today in Africa, the primordial challenge of our times is the
persistence of the pre-eminence of the culture of violence in the
world of youth and the stereotypes proposed to them by the media,
politicians and all those who appear to have achieved “social
success”.
Violence is also close to the young, because it is present in the
continuous devastations of the conflict which destroys family life.
Faced with all these forms of family violence, permissive silence
and latent impunity are the best means to incite revolts.
Let us not forget that the poverty that strikes the young is a
violence.
Looking at this situation, education for peace and reconciliation is
an urgent necessity, everywhere where the consecrated work with
youth. We the consecrated should propose what is best in
contemporary society to the young.
Thus, we propose to the Synod:
- That all ecclesiastical structures create a program for the
management of conflicts by giving new force to the method of
Catholic action (see think-act)
- Create services of listening where the consecrated, trained in the
techniques of active listening, are available to welcome the young
who feel the need to confide.
- Religious congregations in communion with the local Church should
create structures whose objective is the smooth insertion into
professional life for the young, as well as their access to work and
to a decent income by articulating an appropriate professional
formation, personalized following and the mobilization of the
public, private and social actors involved.
- Our teaching institutions should create a program of education on
values based on our cultural values.

How to make the Word of God, known, loved and practiced in the
Church?
- In the first place, we need to create means that will allow all
Christians to access the Holy Scriptures. For this, there is a need
for “immense solidarity” which would lead to the substantial
decrease in the price of Bibles.
- We need to invest in the development of the Biblical pastoral.
- Involve Christians to read the Holy Scriptures starting from Jesus
Christ as the Center of Revelation in the responses and light which
illuminates each page of the Holy Book.- Nurtured by the Word of
God, our faithful can more easily resist the seductions by new
religious groups, many of them using a fundamentalistic reading of
the Bible to spread its ideas.
- Starting from the faith in the Risen Jesus Christ, victorious over
the Kingdom of evil, we can show the world paths of hope, peace,
freedom; paths that lead to erasing ancestral fears, such as
witchcraft that sowed much suffering among our peoples.
- The Word of God, practiced and prayed, can undoubtedly help to
build a family culture since it leads Christian to confront
themselves with the Truth and the need for a conversion of life
which allows them to live according to the Lord’s path.
- The Word of God gives meaning to our fight against poverty; it
nurtures our convictions that what we do for our brothers we do for
Christ Himself.
- The Word of God makes us instruments of reconciliation, justice,
peace.

The civil war started in Chad in 1965 under the regime of the first
president who was a Christian Protestant, originally from the South,
Francois Tombalbaye. From 1979 to our days, the fracture between
North and South continued under the two following regimes of Hissein
Habré and Idriss Deby Itno, Muslims from the North.
For the past 40 years there have been many attempts at
reconciliation which haven’t come to anything and won’t be able to
come to anything.
Culturally, the majority of ethnic groups in the North,
traditionally warriors, consider reconciliation as an act of
weakness. Thus, there can be no reconciliation between the Gorangnes
(Hissein’s ethnic group) and the Zaghawa (Idriss Deby Itno’s ethnic
group).
The next reconciliations of power between the different rebellions
were achieved using money. This becomes the only mover of
reconciliation and the rebellion ends up becoming commerce: we rebel
and then we reconcile to make some money for our family, to reach
posts of responsibility in the government and to have more weapons.
The war and misery in the majority of the populations in Chad remain
major difficulties and challenges for us. Moreover, the situation
worsens with the arrival of the Sudanese and Central African
refugees or the displaced persons from Chad to our territory. We
expect much from this Synod and from the Universal Church.
Perhaps an agreement between Chad and the Holy See could help more
in reinforcing the authority of the Church in Chad in its commitment
for reconciliation, justice and peace and against what the Holy
Father qualifies as a “virus”, that is the religious fundamentalism
that threatens the health of Africa in general and Chad especially.
In 2008, we had the beginning of a Jihad unleashed in Kouno, a city
in the south of the Archdiocese of N’Djamena, “located about 150km
from Sarh”. Let me remind you, some fundamentalists from Chad were
cited as being involved in the Jihad that recently took place in the
north of Nigeria in September 2009.
According to our constitution, Chad is a lay state, and this has
helped us, as a Church, to live and pursue freely our activities,
but until when? This laity is threatened and if Chad topples into an
Islamic regime, all of Central Africa would suffer the consequences.

The witness of a Christian life is the first and irreplaceable form
of mission.
An effective participation and collaboration of the laity in working
for reconciliation, justice and peace depends not only on a well
informed laity but also on a well catechized laity. Therefore this
will require a lifelong commitment and investment by the Church in
the continuous formation of the laity so that they may become
credible both in private and public life and be able to be "salt of
the earth and light of the world" (cf. Mt 5:13-14; and "Ad Gentis
Divinitus", Nr. 11). From the above, I wish to call for the
following:
Firstly, I recommend that a clear and strong call be re-echoed for
an effective involvement of the laity in the working for
evangelization vis-à-vis reconciliation, justice and peace through
their varied contacts, associations and movements.
Secondly, I recommend that every Diocese be required to have in
place an effective and responsible Council of the Laity to be the
leader of involvement of the laity, so that the laity feel fully
recognized and accepted along with clergy and religious in the task
of evangelization.
Thirdly, I recommend that each Diocese make a strong investment in
the training of the laity, especially with a "new catechesis" in the
Social Teachings of the Church.

I speak to you especially from the personal experience of great
violence done to children in my Archdiocese. This is the violence
perpetrated by soldiers of the rebel forces of the Lord's Resistance
Army (LRA), who the past several years have terrorized the people
and particularly targeted children.
The LRA forces have taken young boys and girls to force them to
become child soldiers, damaging their minds and spirits in terrible
ways. And the LRA forces have abducted young girls as sex slaves,
ruining their hopes and futures.
We know that there are such terrible instances of violence against
children, young women and men, in other parts of Africa today where
senseless wars and conflicts rage on, in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), southern Sudan, Central Africa, for example.
But there is another more widespread violence that goes on every day
throughout the Continent. This is the violence of hunger, lack of
educational opportunities, shortage of adequate health ftlinecare,
and unfit living conditions in urban slums and refugee camps.
Surely our Synod must speak out against the political, economic and
social situations that do such violence to our children.
But let me add yet another way in which violence is done to
children, and this is the shocking rates of abortion that take away
the lives of innocents even before birth. A culture of abortion, a
dynamic of lack of respect for the unborn, a promotion of "rights"
that even allows for this denial of the right to life, is but
another sign of violence against life.
What can we do to stem the rise of this violence?
I want to suggest two strong steps.The first is to pledge ourselves
as Church in Africa to stand up for the "consistent ethic" for
respect for life.
In our work for development, for reconciliation, for justice and
peace, we are bringing the values of a respect for life which is
both strong counter-witness to violence and vigourous endorsement of
the conditions necessary for life - family love, food, education,
health care, jobs, housing, etc.
The second is to give witness especially to the rights of women in
their God-given dignity. I say this because there is around us now
many who speak of the rights of women in ways that would violate the
rights of others - especially the rights of unborn children. We as
Catholic Church must be known as strong defenders of the rights of
women - to experience their God-given equality, to exercise their
many gifts for the good of our communities, to contribute fully the
Church's mission of sharing the Good News.

Impoverishment comes as a result of a lack of inadequate basic needs
that are: food, health services, medication facilities, education or
insufficient knowledge and peace. The outcome of this leads to high
levels of ignorance, poor health, ecological problems such as
destruction of forests for charcoal and settlement; mining
activities, un-planned urban settlements putting pressure on the
available infrastructure such as water, sewerage, road network and
bad agricultural practices, that are incompatible with ecology.
There is need to examine the gaps in our policy process in order to
mitigate chronic poverty manifested in, disease, food insecurity,
crime, lack of clean water. Ensuring that most of Kenya's poor are
able to be assured of the social security will require an integrated
partnership between the church, government, local and international
Partners. All players who are entrusted with protection of people's
welfare must be competent, accountable, accessible and responsive to
the situation of vulnerable groups in order to achieve the desired
holistic human development.
Today, our people on the continent cannot meet their basic needs. We
are talking of millions lacking access to safe drinking water, food,
decent shelter; we are seeing resurgence of diseases like polio that
ought to have been eradicated, we are seeing coffee and tea farmers
impoverished because of poor returns; and we have seen unemployment
rates rising. This bring rise to the many young people who are at
the mercy of the powerful elite who conscript them to drugs and
terror gangs for protection.
I propose that as Church leaders we have to set the example that
hard work pays by putting in place policies that reward good work.
We have to discourage the culture of handouts and plant honesty and
responsibility among our young people.

The Instrumentum laboris talks about youth by building or by
consolidating structures for their formation; to nominate chaplains
for their apostolate and coordinate their participation in the life
of the Church on the national as well as the international level.
We thank the Servant of God Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI
for their solicitude in favor of youth, who are considerable
witnesses of reconciliation that overcomes the boundaries of
continents, race and cultures. This is manifested during the World
Youth Days. This experience as universal Church stimulates the
fervor of our young persons to continue this, despite the various
socio-political tensions in our country. In Madagascar, following
the recommendations in the Post-Synodal Exhortation to build and
consolidate the structures for the Pastoral for the Youth, the
Conference of Bishops of Madagascar calls the Catholic youths of our
country every three years.
Through this experience, we see that our young persons could become
one of the best agents of reconciliation, if they are trained and
helped by their pastors and their elders by a witness of authentic
Christian life to study their faith through a catechesis based on
the Word of God; to live their faith through Prayer and the
Celebration of the sacraments especially the Eucharist and the
sacrament of Reconciliation: it is gratifying to see the young
persons approaching this sacrament during a whole night in front of
the Holy Sacrament in the open air. They are very quick to find
themselves together, to share their deep aspirations amongst
themselves, to pray together, to study their faith to find and bear
witness in turn to their human and evangelical values.

The multinational extractives are causing so much injustice in
Africa that the Church can no longer remain silent about them. In
their desire to exploit the continent's rich natural and mineral
resources, these companies can do anything, including the fomenting
of inter-ethnic conflicts, sale arms and ammunition, and the
overthrow of legitimate governments. The oil-rich Delta States in
Nigeria and the eastern and southern regions of the Democratic
Republic of Congo are clear examples of this.
Confronted by such hostile forces, many local Churches cannot do
much to ensure that the companies accept their co-operate
responsibility. Therefore I am appealing that local Churches and
Episcopal Conferences of the affected regions intervene to ensure
that just mining policies are established to ensure that African
States and their populations benefit from their natural and mineral
resources. I am also appealing to local Churches of countries from
which those multinationals come to intervene on behalf of Africa and
its people. Those companies may be bringing home cheap oil and cheap
tropical hard wood, but they are causing untold sufferings for our
people in Africa. In the name of God and of our ecclesial communion,
we appeal to you to help us to stop their injustices against our
people.

It’s true there are barriers and limitations in the work of
evangelization in the Comores, however, I would like to share with
you in 5 points, the main lines upon which our mission is based by
showing at the same time the wealth and flavor of this mission, and
concluding with a request.
1. By dressing modestly and by accepting being deprived of
privileges and successes which at times are given by the traditional
Catholic environment, the missionary in the Comores learns that
ultimately it is the Holy Spirit who achieves and builds the Kingdom
of God, even where where it would seem pointless or impossible
according to human logic.
2. By nourishing oneself with prayer, with the Eucharist and the
grace of God which is manifested in the daily life in the Comores,
the missionary participates in this joy that our Shepherd Jesus
promised his apostles.
3. Seeing as we are a minority, the danger is real, that our small
Catholic communities close up and get discouraged. Nevertheless, the
smallness of our Catholic communities spurs us to wholly invest in
the mission of being the salt of the earth and the light of the
world.
4. Not being allowed to evangelize with the mouth and the word,
nothing stops us from speaking with our hands, that is: serving the
population in all humility through works of charity.
5. Each man is unique and has the ability to choose freely to be (or
not to be) the image of his Creator. God constantly invites us and
proposes saying yes with a patience that is beyond us, without ever
obligating or forcing His creature, cf the good thief on the cross
who said yes at the last moment. Thus, it is an injustice to
obligate one’s fellow man to being a Muslim and to exclude salvation
a priori to all those who do not follow Islam. This injustice can
never lead to reconciliation and profound peace with Muslims and
must be recognized one day as an intellectual and professional error
by their leaders as well as by the simple faithful, so that this
separating wall may fall finally like others fell in the past.

Namibia is basically enjoying political and economic stability, but
the Church is nevertheless called upon to be a vigilant and
prophetic watchdog with regard to the issues of reconciliation,
justice and peace. After the war, which ended in 1989 and
consequently followed by the United Nations supervised election, we
have observed three movements:
1. Insufficient platform was provided for the former warring party
to share their wounds and thus to speed up the healing process
within.
2. Justice was sought in fair distribution of available resources,
but now we see a big gap growing between the rich and the poor.
3. Peace has been flourishing among different peoples in the
country.
We have tried to embark upon two projects which I would like share
with you:
1. We have called upon the clergy, religious and faithful to
encourage both the faithful ¡and people of good will; to exercise
their democratic right to vote in order to elect as their future
leaders those who will be good servants and stewards and who will
focus in their administration on delivery of quality services and
fight against all forms of corruption, through the existing
Anti-Corruption Commission.
We have been meeting with all political parties to call upon them to
uphold the principle of democracy in their campaigning in a spirit
of tolerance and mutual respect in order to maintain our hard won
peace, which is an expensive commodity, while affirming the fact
that, in any race, there is always a winner and a loser, and that
the latter should accept the result with dignity and humility.
African leaders should therefore learn to relinquish power
gracefully.
2. Special ministry to sex-workers - prostitution - for which we
have a priest with this charism. In many situations, these
sex-workers, or who 80% are injected by the HIV/AIDS virus are
forced to this life-style by poverty and are sexually abused by
well-salaried people.

When the first Synodal Assembly took place in 1994, my country was
still a nation at war. In that moment, our Episcopal Conference,
though misunderstood by some, appealed with determination for peace
and reconciliation among brothers in conflict, through a number of
pastoral letters. In this long process, we emphasized the service of
the Bishops of the region (IMBISA), who moved to Angola specifically
to help the process. Internally, the Episcopal Conference launched a
movement, still active today, for peace, “Pro Pace”, whose vocation
is the promotion of peace, disarming consciences, and forming peace
makers. The action of this movement was felt all over the country.
Together with other Christian institutions, the Committee of
Inter-Ecclesial for the Peace in Angola (COIEPA) was created, having
the same aim. Therefore, on many occasions, Churches and Christian
Communities in Angola could speak as one to the Nation and to the
world about the drama of war and the urgency of peace.
Today, having attained peace, the great challenge is that of
national reconciliation which we cannot identify or summarize with
the end of the war, the period of validity of the Government of
National Unity and Reconciliation, emerging from the agreements made
in Lusaka and the actuation, a year ago, of legislative elections.
These are stages of a process which, by themselves, cannot realize
reconciliation. Reconciliation contains other dimensions and they
should be pursued with the same audacity: psychological and
cultural, economic and political, social and religious. Yes, these
are aspects that cannot be ignored if we do not want to deceive
ourselves and postpone or prepare future conflicts.
Therefore, we consider it our duty as Church to continue to
encourage, support and work with the other players in public life
for a genuine state of law, by means of the necessary strengthening
of democratic institutions, the promoting of good governance,
struggling against inequality between citizens and between regions,
the free functioning of institutions of the administration of
justice, and for a better distribution of state revenues.

In Namibia, the first problem is somehow solved by government
subsidies. So our health and educational institutions are highly
subsidized by the government. For this reason particularly in the
rural areas the poor receive medical care without paying much. In
order to ensure regular government subsidy and the autonomy of the
church to manage health institutions according to church ethical
standards we entered into a comprehensive agreement with the
government in 1994, which was revised and improved in 2008. The
implementation of this agreement is not as successful as we
expected. Some clauses are not yet implemented. We have also an
extensive HIV/AIDS program.
But the government program is stronger with more financial
resources, expatriate expert advisors, and using national
communication media: TV, radio and newspapers. So they have more
influence than us. Thus secular and relativistic views of sexuality
are propagated. For them the most predominant concern is to prevent
infection; and the most important practical means is the condom; so
unrealistic belief in condom effectiveness is promoted. The failures
of this means is deliberately ignored or explained in dubious ways.
In this way, promiscuity is actually encouraged which leads to more
infections. The other issue which I would like to mention is what I
read in the report of WHO, about the business sales of medicines. It
says the curative effectiveness of some of these medicines is not
proved but being sold in Africa for experiment. The dosage of some
is dangerous or not what is actually indicated on the container or
they are completely faked.
There are other medicines that are not approved in countries where
they are manufactured but they are sold in Africa (e.g. Depo
Provesa). It is said that Africa is most exposed to these kinds of
medicines because of the limited capacity to investigate, test or
monitor as to what is happening. In this regard the church should
also urge the government that traditional healers must be held
accountable for their activities and should fully disclose their
treatment procedures and medicines.
Concerning our schools we also receive government subsidies but so
far we have not reached an agreement but are still negotiating. Our
schools have made great contribution to education acknowledged even
by the government. In the last 3 consecutive years our two secondary
schools have produced best results of the final national exams. We
aim at having schools of excellence where gifted children can be
helped to excel through quality education. In this connection on a
personal note: I had school mates who were highly gifted but who
dropped out of school because of poverty, lack of motivation or some
other reason. Africa cannot afford to lose the potentially excellent
scientists and artists.
For the church to continue its involvement in health and education
provision, financial resources will always be needed. Finding
effective and efficient ways of securing these resources is very
important.

The Episcopal Conference of Angola and of São Tomé led together with
the Commission of Justice and Peace, Ecclesia Radio, the Catholic
radio station of Angola and the Catholic University, its mission of
mother and educator, mediator and conciliator. They elaborated
programs of civic education, realized in “Pro Pace” meetings.
The addressees were civil societies, political actors, persons of
other religious groups and all people of good will. It was in the
truth, a privileged moment, an authentic forge of dialogue; the seed
of reconciliation was sewn among the marginalized brothers. As a
result, the electoral process unfolded in an environment of
tolerance and peace.
I propose that each Episcopal Conference of the African countries
together with their respective Commissions of Justice and Peace and
other institutions, elaborate a “Pro Pace” program at the level of
Archdioceses and Dioceses and that it be implemented in the period
that precedes the elections. I also wish to refer to the Chinese
workers who can be find around all over Africa. Certainly for the
Chinese State they are workers who are sent outside the borders to
increase their hegemony in a worldwide economic panorama. For our
states, they are no more than the manpower required for a speedy
reconstruction of infrastructures destroyed during the war.
I therefore propose that the Episcopal Conferences together with
Dioceses where a pastoral for migrants is needed elaborate a
pastoral program for bringing the Gospel of Christ to Chinese
workers in the African countries.

Attempting to respond to the current challenges, at the first stage
there were some rapid initiatives of mediation to decide with
relation to this or that crisis. Currently, given the ongoing
governmental instability and other fragilities, we were obliged to
develop a commission for justice and peace, with the mission not
only to sensitize and form the Christian community but also to
create spaces for dialogue and opportunities for collaboration with
various religious leaders, with the Foundation (being formed) the
Voice of Peace, civil society, political classes, military, women’s
and youth associations.
In this effort to form consciences with regard to changing the
mentality and behavior, from which a culture of peace may develop,
Radio Sol Mansi (ecclesial radio) is carrying out a very important
role in the spreading of the Gospel message and the social doctrine
of the Church. The quality of the programs aired gain this young
radio station credibility and affection from both the local
population and international community, particularly at the time the
last elections were conducted in the country.
Another initiative to be mentioned is an agreement established
between Radio Sol Mansi and a Muslim community radio station.
The faith in God Creator and Peace for all mankind is a “spiritual
and cultural” wealth common to all ethnic groups of the
Guinea-Bissau. This common “patrimony” is facilitating cooperation
and dialogue among followers of different faith (RTA, Muslims,
Protestants, and Catholics). The construction of peace is a task
which approaches the religious confessions in the same impulse of
protecting the higher interest of the nation. After various
initiatives, taken informally and ad hoc, the major religious
organizations of the country will decide to officilize their
cooperation in the heart of the Council for ecumenical
inter-religious dialogue, and for the promotion of human dignity.
It is about a space for dialogue and compromise between traditional
responsible religious people and on the big matters of the nation.
This NGO for the promotion of opinions and of human beings, has as
its vocation to place itself in an independent way to face national
problems and to act as an active conscience in view of the peace
consolidation.

Among some African cultural values that are compatible with the
Gospel message are:
The sense of sacredness of life.
Respect and care for elders.
Solidarity and peaceful co-existence.
On the other hand, some cultural practices which are not compatible
with the Gospel message to include the pouring of libation,
ancestral worships, sacrifices offered to idols and deities during
traditional festivals, taking of chieftaincy titles, traditional
marriages and burials.
These cultural practices constitutes obstacles and challenges to the
evangelization mission of the church in Africa in service to
Reconciliation, Justice and Peace.
Unfortunately, as indicated in the Instrumentum Laboris (Art 95),
the church suffers from some clergy and consecrated men and women
and the lay faithful who sometimes give bad examples by their
involvement in occult practices.
My appeal to the synod fathers is to look into formation of
seminarians and priests and consecrated men and women as well as the
lay faithful towards the right use of sacramentals and the reception
of sacraments.
In our rural Diocese of Ikot Ekpena in Nigeria, it has become a
custom to start the new year with Mass during which the message of
the Holy Father for the World Peace is read. At the end, all
traditional rulers and their families are blessed. In order to
minister to non-Catholic traditional rulers, priests and catechists
who receive invitations to traditional festivals and burials are
encouraged to take these invitations up, and use them as means of
evangelization. Through this initiative, some followers of African
Traditional Religion have been converted to the Catholic faith.

The “implantatio Ecclesiae et Imperii, versus implantatio fidei” was
the path, the method which brought the Gospel to Mozambique in the
XV and XVI centuries, as well as to the greater part of Africa,
America, the Far East (Asia) and Oceania.
This method, from the Constantine and pre-Constantine period,
returned and reinforced by the Germanic Holy Roman Empire, decreased
the divisions between the Christian communities of the catacombs and
the pagan world of that era, and constitutes today one of the remote
but fundamental causes of a structural and basic shortage or rupture
in the building of the Church in Africa, a structural and basic
shortage or rupture which is incoherency or the deep abyss between
faith and the witness of life, between African Christian faith and
their culture, between faith and moral commitment, between the
Christian faith of African parliamentarians and their political
involvement according to the Gospel: the existing discordant
separation or hiatus, and finally between faith proclaimed with the
lips in the formulation of the Creed in Sunday Mass and the daily
style of life and of culture in employment, politics, economy,
culture, family and societies within and without our cathedrals,
parish churches, chapels and African communities, as in all of
today’s modern world.
I have taken the liberty to propose to this August Synod Assembly
that it directly and explicitly mention the importance, the need and
the opportunity of the old catechumenal method and institute, also
recommended and renewed by Vatican Council II, as the effective
instrument to rebuild our young African missionary churches.

Reconciliation remains a divine mystery. Nevertheless, the Church
has the duty to trace the way and live it herself by first resolving
her own contradictions, before preaching to others. The more
believable she is, the more she will know how to create spaces of
truth, justice and peace. For this, it is urgent to reinforce
effective communion and collaboration of the pastors between
themselves and with the faithful, to guarantee transparency and the
responsible management of the Church’s goods, to ensure equanimity
between the different members of the ecclesial community.
Reconciliation is at the same time a process and an objective to
reach. Here are some propositions to achieve this:
1. Shed light on the scriptural aspect of reconciliation, justice
and peace;
2. Develop the sacrament of individual and community reconciliation;
3. Encourage fundamental retreats for the laity;
4. Reinforce the pastoral for the family and youths;
5. Follow more attentively the persons involved with the running of
government on a daily basis;
6. Create chaplains for the Senate and the National Assembly;
7. Organize the permanent formation of priests and laity on
reconciliation, justice and peace;
8. Finally, urge for spaces where priests can listen, meet and share
their human, pastoral and spiritual experiences.

During recent events that have made Madagascar known on the world
level, and where we must deplore the deaths of men and considerable
material damage, we turned to the Council of Christian Churches,
known under the acronym FFKM (bringing together the Catholic,
Lutheran, Reformed and Anglican churches); it should be noted that
during the cycle of troubles that had shaken the large island since
1980, the FFKM was the means to emerge from the crisis, which ended
with the signing of a convention between the factions in conflict.
Then came the elections.
How was the FFKM called upon as mediator?
Let us note, first of all that the conference of bishops of
Madagascar never stopped pushing the alarm button to attract the
attention of those in power. In effect, the majority is impoverished
more and more while a minority gets richer; a dictatorial derivative
was present after the adoption of a constitution made to measure for
the president, the sale of land to foreign companies, not to mention
electoral fraud...
The religious leaders and worthies made a plea for calm, for its
part the conference of bishops of Madagascar created a crisis group
to follow the evolution of events. And it was able to get
representatives from the two factions round a table on February 6th
2009.
I would like to draw some lessons from this experience of mediation:
1. We cannot mediate without preliminary formation, otherwise it is
guaranteed to fail.
2. Mediators need to stay united if they wish to do their job
properly.
3. In these negotiations, where neither goodwill nor sincerity are
ever much in evidence at the meeting and might lead to
discouragement, but one must not leave the negotiating table.
4. The solidarity of the conference of bishops of Madagascar was
also an intense witness in the middle of a crisis and this is its
strength.
5. Unfortunately the FFKM came out of this experience wounded and
weakened. However what gives hope is the holding of work groups of
formation on ecumenism throughout the island. They were funded by
the Ecumenical Council of Churches of Geneva.

As part of their pastoral commitment in the search for peace, the
Bishops of the Sudan did put before themselves and their faithful a
vision of Sudan which is more human, in which people can live in
harmony and where there will be no more: war, oppression, violence,
tribal/ethnic hatred, injustice, violation of human rights and
discrimination because of religion.
The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the
North and South Sudan on the 9th January 2005 marked a turning point
in the history of this tormented country. The agreement so far is
the best of all agreements made between the parties in conflict
since the independence of the Sudan in 1956. For most part the
agreement echoes the concerns raised and proposed by the Bishops
mentioned above, a vision of Sudan where all are treated equal
regardless of colour, race or creed.
Given the political crisis in the country at present, Sudan has few
options left to choose from:
- Either a break-up of the whole country into several states,
because of the insistence on the brand of unity that hardly
acknowledges any other religion but Islam or any other culture but
only the Arab culture and the denial of access to political,
economic and civil rights. This form of unity will always embroil
the country into endless conflicts.
- If the unity of the country is a better option then the Government
has to sincerely reform its political strategy by adapting a secular
constitution and system of governance for state so as to allow every
citizen to feel a sense of belonging without any prejudice. This
attempt will not only release the tension among non-Muslims but will
also bring in the other regions like Darfur, southern Kordofan and
southern Blue Nile. These three regions are predominantly Muslim but
feel excluded like the Christians of the South from the type of
union the Government in Khartoum tries to forge. This option has
been on for 55 years.

It is right that we call on our national leaders and international
organizations to save Africa for posterity. It is however my
strongly considered view that this Second Special Synod should show
very serious concern for the FUTURE OF THE FAITH AND CATHOLIC
DOCTRINE IN THE CONTINENT OF AFRICA and adjacent Islands. As rightly
pointed out by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson in the Relatio mentioned
above, and I quote, "the talk about a thriving Church in Africa
[today] conceals the fact that the Church hardly exists in large
parts north of the Equator. The exceptionally growing Church in
Africa is to be found generally SOUTH OF THE SAHARA." Yet the north
is the land of many great saints and martyrs; the refuge for the
Holy Family. The land that nurtured the Infant Jesus is now almost
without the presence of the Church founded by Christ!! The same may
happen to the now flourishing Church, South of the Sahara, if we do
not make deepening the faith THE PASTORAL PRIORITY of this Second
Synod. "To be forewarned is to be forearmed."
Several Synod Fathers have told us of current dangers to our faith.
Apart from the Socio-political, weak democracies, corruption and
many other maladies, we have also been informed of the strategies of
pentencostalist movements against the traditional Christian
Churches. We know these attacks break down and capture our most
vulnerable members - youths and young adults. It is from these
youths our clergy and consecrated persons come. It is they who would
be the future fathers and mothers, the politicians and professionals
of our nations. But alas, many of them are very shallow in their
faith and lack doctrinal development.
The Church, Family of God on mission in Africa, through this Special
Synod must provide ways and means to PASS ON THE FAITH with IMPROVED
CATECHESIS, with sound Scriptural and DOCTRINAL FORMATION. This is
urgent so that the Church, South of the Equator might not in a few
years' time become like its counterpart NORTH of the Equator.

The Catholic Church in Lesotho is blessed with vocations for the
priesthood and consecrated life. We are also happy to announce the
Church is a Mission Church which is becoming missionary. She has
started sending out some of her sons and daughters to other
countries and continents. e.g, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana,
Paraguay, Haiti, France, most of these groups mentioned above are
Women religious.
It is in the sphere of socio politics that Lesotho needs most help
in means of reconciliation, justice and peace. The theme of
reconciliation, justice and peace is pertinent and relevant, but, it
is also necessary and urgent for Lesotho. Lesotho is one of young
emerging democracies on the continent. Ever since its independence
in 1966, it has experienced moments of political turmoil and bitter
conflicts, which sometimes resulted in coup d'etat and blood shed,
as it was in 1970, 1986,1994 and 1998.
Lesotho suffers from two major ills, namely, political and
denominational divides. The two have been become so intertwined that
is almost impossible to differentiate one from the other. From the
first general elections of 1966, Lesotho has developed what I could
call a "culture" of "post-election conflict".
The electoral process usually runs smoothly until election time. The
acceptance of the electoral results is always a cause of dispute
with violent manifestations or dissatisfaction by the parties which
have lost. In other words, there is neither victory in honour nor
defeat in grace. This makes the whole political period after
elections a turbulent time of tensions, rivalry, and incessant
accusations and one of the causes of this problems is lack of
strategies in methods of voting. Such a political tension fueled by
denominational intolerance aggravates the situation. Whenever there
is such an impasse, the Lesotho Christian Council of Churches is
asked to mediate. It is often the Catholic Church which plays the
most important part in resolving conflict in Lesotho. The theme of
the Synod will be of great benefit for the Church in Lesotho, which
is constantly involved in mediation efforts to bring about
reconciliation, peace and justice in that beloved Country.

Let me express my gratitude and that .of the Church I represent.
Methodist Church Nigeria, for the invitation extended to me to
participate at this Special Episcopal. Synod with this all important
theme THE CHURCH IN AFRICA IN SERVICE TO RECONCILIATION, JUSTICE AND
PEACE...
I bring you greetings from the World Methodist Council which just
concluded its Executive Committee meeting in Santiago Chile. The
Council wants me to use the. opportunity of this gathering to
further appreciate the monumental event of the signing of the
Document on Justification by faith of the last World Methodist
Conference in Seoul South Korea in July 2006. The Council looks'
forward to faster movement on other issues and sincerely hopes the
conversations can also begin at bilateral levels in Africa.
Let me also bring greetings from the World Council of Churches
especially from the Continuation Committee on Ecumenism in the 21st
Century on which I serve as its Moderator, and to thank the
Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Unity for its services to
this Committee and the commitment to host this meeting in Rome in
January 2010.
The Continuation Committee on Ecumenism in the 21st century has as
its responsibility the task of articulating more clearly the common
vision of the Church towards unity and to ensure greater coherence
of the ecumenical movement in response to the changing global
realities. The Committee is composed of representatives of different
constituencies, including member churches of the World Council of
Churches (WCC) the Roman Catholic Church, Pentecostal Churches,
ecumenical youth organizations, regional ecumenical organizations,
Christian world
communions, national council of churches, specialized ministries,
international ecumenical organizations and ecumenical renewal
communities. We hope we can count on your continued support as we
move to the next stage of deepening theological reflections on
vision and values and develop concrete recommendations for action by
churches and ecumenical partners.
The issues highlighted in the document Instrumentum laboris captures
in a comprehensive way most of the challenges facing the Church in
Africa today. However for me when the issues of Reconciliation
Justice and Peace are addressed with all sincerity of purpose, as it
appears to be the purpose for this gathering then the Church
exemplifies itself as a living body in service to all of humanity
and the entire creation. The issue of Justice is of, particular
interest , I believe true justice is demonstrated when Ministers and
leaders speak out against evil, without regard to personal gain or
loss. Shepherds both Clergy and laity are responsible for exercising
justice in the Church. This is particularly needed in Africa today.
Where there is Justice Peace is possible and this allows for the
fullness of the image of God to be revealed through the Holy
Spirit's on going work of sanctification.
Let me conclude by reminding us of the wish of the entire ecumenical
community that it is always good and pleasant when kindred live
together in unity.
May the outcome of this deliberation draw us together in service to
Reconciliation Justice and Peace in Africa and the entire world.

The second Press Conference on the Synod works (with simultaneous
translations in Italian, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese)
will be held in the John Paul II Hall of the Holy See Press Office
tomorrow, Wednesday 14 October 2009 (after the Relatio post
disceptationem) at approximately 12.45 pm. Speakers:

The third Press Conference on the Synod works (with simultaneous
translations in Italian, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese)
will be held in the John Paul II Hall of the Holy See Press Office
on Friday 23 October 2009 (after the Nuntius) at approximately 12.45
pm. Speakers:

- H. Exc. Mons. John Olorunfemi ONAIYEKAN, Archbishop of Abuja
(NIGERIA), President of the Commission for the Message
- H. Exc. Mons. Youssef Ibrahim SARRAF, Bishop of Cairo of Chaldean
Rite (EGYPT), Vice President of the Commission for the Message
- H. Exc. Mons. Francisco João SILOTA, M. Afr., Bishop of Chimoio,
Second Vice-President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of
Africa and Madagascar (S.E.C.A.M.) (MOZAMBIQUE), Member of the
Commission for the Message
- Rev. F. Federico LOMBARDI, S.I., Director of the Holy See Press
Office (VATICAN CITY)

The fourth Press Conference on the Synod works (with simultaneous
translations in Italian, English, French, Spanish and Portuguese)
will be held in the John Paul II Hall of the Holy See Press Office
on Saturday 24 October 2009 (after the Elenchus finalis
propositionem) at approximately 12.45 pm. Speakers:

On the following days, pools of accredited journalists will have
access to the Synod Hall in general for the opening prayer of the
morning General Congregations.
- Thursday 15 October 2009
- Saturday 17 October 2009
- Tuesday 20 October 2009
- Friday 23 October 2009
- Saturday 24 October 2009

Registration lists for the pools will be available for reporters at
the Information Accreditation desk of the Holy See Press Office (to
the right of the entrance hall).

For the pools, the photographers and TV operators are kindly
requested to apply to the Pontifical Council for Social
Communications.

The Participants in the pools are kindly requested to meet at 8.30
am in the Press Sector which is located outside, in front of the
entrance to the Paul VI Hall. From there they will be accompanied by
an official of the Holy See Press Office (for reporters) and by an
official of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (for
photographers and TV camera teams). Suitable dress is required.

The next Bulletin, with the text of the Relatio post disceptionem,
that will be presented by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson,
Archbishop of Cape Coast (GHANA) during the Fourteenth General
Congregation this afternoon, Tuesday 13 October 2009, will be
available to accredited journalists when the Holy See Press Office
opens tomorrow morning.

The text of Relatio post disceptionem (full version in Italian,
English, French, Spanish and Portuguese) will be available to
accredited journalists with EMBARGO at 16:00 at the Holy See Press
Office.

The following events will be transmitted live on the TV monitors in
the Telecommunications Room, in the Journalists’ Room and in the
John Paul II Conference Hall of the Holy See Press Office:
- Tuesday 13 October 2009 (16:30) : Part of the Fourteenth General
Congregation during which the Relatio post disceptationem will be
presented.
- Sunday 25 October 2008 (9:30 ): Solemn Concelebration of the Holy
Mass at the conclusion of the Synod (Saint Peter’s Basilica).

During the period of the Synod, a telephone news-bulletin will be
available:
- +39-06-698.19 for the ordinary daily Bulletin of the Holy See
Press Office;
- +39-06-698.84051 for the Bulletin of the Synod of Bishops -
morning session;- +39-06-698.84877 for the Bulletin of the Synod of
Bishops - afternoon session.

During the II Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops,
the Holy See Press Office will be open during the following hours,
until 25 October 2009:
- Tuesday 13 October: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- From Wednesday 14 October to Saturday 17 October: 9:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m.
- Sunday 18 October: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- From Monday 19 October to Saturday 24 October: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m.
- Sunday 25 October: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The staff of the Information and Accreditation Desk (to the right of
the entrance hall) will be available:
- Monday-Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Notice of any changes will be communicated as soon as possible and
will be posted on the bulletin board in the Journalists’ Area of the
Holy See Press Office, published in the Bulletin of the Commission
for Information of the II Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod
of Bishops and in the Service Information area of the Internet site
of the Holy See.